CE 706: Irrigation and Flood Control Sessional

Experiment-02
Irrigation Scheduling by Book keeping Method

General:
The knowledge of irrigation scheduling, total water requirement and irrigation requirement is
fundamental in the design of irrigation scheme and water supply system and in irrigated crop
production.
Irrigation Scheduling:
Irrigation scheduling is a decision making process involving when to irrigate, how much
water to apply each time and how to apply. In other words, scheduling of irrigation refers to
application of water at the right time in the right amount by the right method.
Necessity of Irrigation Scheduling:
The main objective of irrigation scheduling is management of water so that it is applied at
right time and in the amount needed. In water short areas this can result in increased yields
through an extension of cropped areas. In water surplus areas it can help to alleviate problems
which may result from excess water applications. It can also reduce loss of nutrients through
deep percolation.
Dependable Factors:
An efficient and accurate irrigation-scheduling program depends on the following
information of that area:

• Soil information
• Crop information
• Meteorological information
• Water supply information
• Methods of irrigation
Two basic information that must be known before irrigation scheduling are:
✓ Soil moisture available for crop
✓ Rate of daily water use by the crop
Irrigation Scheduling by Book Keeping Method:
In this method a worksheet for "Moisture balance for scheduling irrigation" is used for
weekly or daily basis. Before starting this scheduling three major items should be known:

• Water holding capacity (WHC) of soil in the root depth

• Estimated Evapotranspiration (Etc) of the crop to be grown
• Soil moisture balance at the beginning of the scheduling period
By entering all these in the appropriate column of the worksheet the moisture balance at the
end of the week is determined.
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 CE 706: Irrigation and Flood Control Sessional

Definitions:
Field Capacity (FC):
Immediately after rain or irrigation water application when all the gravity has drained down
to the water table, a certain amount of water is retained on the surface of soil grains by
molecular attraction and by loose chemical bond (i.e., absorption). This water cannot be
easily drained under the action of gravity and is called the field capacity.
The field capacity is thus the water content of a soil after drainage has taken place for a
sufficient period. This period of free gravity drainage is generally taken as 2 to 5 days.
Permanent Wilting Point (PWP):
It is that water content at which plant can no longer extract sufficient water for its growth and
wilts up. It is the point at which permanent wilting of plants take place.

Available Water:
The water contained in the soil between FC and PWP is known as the available water.
Gravitational Water:
The water in the large pores that moves downward freely under the influence of gravity is
known as the. gravitational water. This is the water between the saturated point and FC.
Effective Rainfall (Re):
Precipitation falling during the growing period of a crop that is available to meet the
evapotranspiration needs of the crop is called effective rainfall. It does not include
precipitation lost through deep percolation below the root zone or the water lost as surface
run off.
Rain that is retained in the root zone and used by plants is considered as effective rainfall.
Effective Rainfall (Re) =Total rainfall(R)-Runoff (R0)-Evaporation (E)-Deep percolation (P)

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 CE 706: Irrigation and Flood Control Sessional

Total Available Water (TAW):

The amount of water, which will be available for plants in the root zone, is known as the total
available water. It is the difference in volumetric moisture content at FC and at PWP;
multiplied-by root zone depth.
Reference Crop Evapotranspiration (ETo):
The rate of evapotranspiration from an extensive surface of 8 to 15 cm tall green grass cover
of uniform height, actively growing, completely shading the ground and of not short of water
is known as the reference crop evapotranspiration.
Crop Evapotranspiration (ETc):
The depth of water needed to meet the water loss through evapotranspiration of a disease free
crop, growing in large fields under non-restricting soil conditions including water and
fertility and achieving full production potential under-the given growing environment.
Crop Coefficient (Kc):
The ratio of ETc / ETo is termed as crop coefficient.
Procedure:
1. The available water (AW) is multiplied by an allowable depletion factor to determine
the allowable depletion.
2. To calculate the current depletion (CD) the actual evapotranspiration and previous
depletion is added and actual rainfall & irrigation (if any applied in the previous
week) is subtracted from the previous sum.
CD = (Eta + Previous depletion)-(Actual rainfall + Irrigation)
3. To calculate the predicted evapotranspiration Kc is multiplied by reference crop
evapotranspiration.
4. The predicted depletion is calculated by adding the predicted evapotranspiration and
current depletion and then subtract the rainfall from it.
5. The irrigation frequency is calculated by using the following expression:
Irrigation frequency = 7*(Allowable depletion-CD+R)/Etc

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Problem:
Depletion at the end of the June 30 was 16 mm.
Water holding capacity, WHC=44mm/m
Allowable Depletion=50%

Week Actual Predicted

ending RD (cm)
Et (mm) Re (mm) Etc (mm) Re (mm) Kc (mm)
July 7 61.46 15 - 0 - 83.82
July 14 67.31 6.85 50.55 0 0.95 83.82
July 21 71.37 0 50.55 0 0.96 101.60
July 28 73.66 0 50.04 0 0.99 101.60
August 4 67.56 2.03 49.28 0 0.98 101.60
August 11 - - 48.26 0 0.94 101.60

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